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STUDENT'S E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECH REPUBLIC
Faculty of Social Science of Charles University
Smetanovo nabr. 6
110 01 Prague 1
Czech Republic
e-mail: CAROLINA@cuni.cz
tel: (+42 2) 24810804, ext. 252, fax: (+42 2) 24810987
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 187, Friday, January 26, 1996.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (January 17-24)
Klaus Applies for EU Membership in Rome
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus applied for the Czech Republic's
European Union membership January 22 in Rome. The formal application and
memorandum explaining the Czech Republic's interests were submitted to
Italian Premier Lamberto Dini, who currently presides over the EU.
The memorandum lists the historical, political and economic reasons
why the Czech Republic should join the EU. It further emphasizes how the
Czech Republic welcomes the integration of peaceful co-existence,
stability and economic prosperity. The Czech Republic was one of the
last post-communist countries to apply, and is not expected to be
approved until 2002.
Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro granted an audience to
Klaus, assuring him that the Czech Republic has full support for its EU
application. Pope John Paul II also met with the Czech leader. The press
reported they discussed relations between the Catholic Church and the
Czech Republic, partly involving the restitution of church property.
Petr Mrzena/Andrea Snyder
Havel Welcomes Social Democrats' Views on Foreign Policy
Following a meeting with a Social Democratic Party delegation,
President Vaclav Havel announced his approval of the party's approach to
foreign policy. The meeting took place January 13 at Prague Castle.
Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman said his party appreciates the
Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs having defended Czech national
interests in negotiating with Germany about the joint declaration
concerning bilateral political relations. Party members told the
President that more important than an immediate signing are quality and
content. They added that they believe in the importance of developing
Czech-German relations, in areas of mutual agreement.
Viktorie Reschova/Andrea Snyder
Klaus Meets Kinkel in Bonn
Some of the tension that had arisen in Czech-German relations over
the text of the countries' prepared joint declaration (see Carolina
186) subsided following the meeting of Premier Vaclav Klaus and German
Minister of Foreign Affairs Klaus Kinkel. The hourlong meeting took
place in Bonn, where both politicians attended the Bertelsmann Forum on
European integration.
Klaus told Czech TV Nova that "Mainly it was possible to dim the
bloom of the drama inside Czech-German relations. It was necessary,
because we can't allow it to be said that we are dramatizing relations."
President Havel has decried the clamor surrounding the declaration.
He said the countries are capable of "living side by side even without
this declaration, or without any step directed toward the resolution of
this situation."
Petr Mrzena/Andrea Snyder
Trade Unions to the Senate, Says Havel
At a January 23 meeting with Czech-Moravian Chamber of Unions
Chairman Richard Falbr, President Vaclav Havel said unions belong in the
Senate. The President said that the presence of members from all walks
of life, including the unions, will keep the Senate from becoming
a political party playground. As the second chamber of Czech Parliament,
the long-planned Senate should be at the earliest elected during the
fall polls.
Falbr said it is "very likely" unions will take part in the Senate
elections, and added there is still enough time to make that decision.
Viktorie Reschova/Andrea Snyder
Reform of Health Care Not a Success, Public Says
According to a long-term investigation published this week by the
Center of Empirical Research, almost half the respondents (45 per cent)
think health care has worsened. Compared to 1993, the percentage of
dissatisfied has doubled. The remaining half (51 per cent) think the
health care plan is partially fulfilling its purpose. Four per cent are
satisfied, while unsatisfaction increases with age.
Health care reform, begun four years ago, is not going well,
according to every second person asked. Every third person asked said
reforms have no effect at all. Only every fifth respondent feels
a positive effect.
Health care providers see things differently; 37% think patient
care has improved througout the transformation process. Dissatisfaction
with salaries remains, howver.
Zbynek Vicar/Katerina Rus
Jan Kavan Did Not Collaborate with Secret Police
The Prague Municipal Court January 16 closed the five-year
lustration dispute with journalist, Social Democratic politician and
former dissident Jan Kavan. The Court upheld the 1994 decision of the
Prague District 7 Court, which ruled Kavan did not consciously cooperate
with the State Security Service (StB). The Czech Helsinki Committee,
which has before raised objections to the lustration, or screening, law,
received the news with satisfaction.
If Kavan had given the StB any information during his stay in Great
Britain in the 1970's, then it was involuntary, the court ruled. As
a university student he associated (with the knowledge of the leadership
of the former Czech Association of University Students) with an attache
at the Czechoslovak Embassy in London, without knowing the real business
of the post was leadership of the office of Czechoslovak intelligence in
Great Britain.
Zbynek Vicar/Katerina Rus
Results of January Election Preference Poll
According to January research of the Institute for Public Opinion
Research, seven political parties would be elected to Parliament today.
Forty-four per cent of those polled would vote for one of the two
strongest parties - 27 per cent for the Civic Democratic Party and 17
per cent for the Czech Social Democratic Party. The Communist Party of
Bohemia and Moravia and the Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak
People's Party are each supported by 7.1 per cent of voters. Three
parties improved their positions in comparison with December: the Civic
Democratic Alliance (6.5 per cent), the right-wing Assembly for the
Republic-Czechoslovak Republican Party (5 per cent) and the Left Bloc
(5 per cent), which for the first time crossed the 5 per cent-barrier
necessary for entry into Parliament. The other parties are farther from
the threshhold: the Free Democrats-Liberal National Socialist Party (2
per cent), the Democratic Union, the Pensioners for Life Securities and
the Czech-Moravian Center Union (1 per cent) and the Christian
Democratic Party (0.5 per cent), which will join with the Civic
Democratic Party in March.
Alida Kassymova/Katerina Rus
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Ekoagrobanka Reopens Doors
Ekoagrobanka Usti nad Labem, in crisis for eight days, reopened its
offices January 19. The Czech National Bank granted a loan of 3 billion
crowns to Ekoagrobanka to pay out deposits. Lines formed at many
branches, but the situation was calm. Cash payments to depositors
January 19 reached 400 million crowns, and payment orders reached 1
billion crowns, while deposits were also recorded. The amount withdrawn
January 22 decreased by 50 per cent. Cash withdrawals and payment orders
are being provided without any limit, but the bank is not providing any
new loans, and has not stated when it will again be possible.
After forced administration and decreasing basic capital, the next
step toward stability will be a 500 million-crown capital increase from
Konsoldacni banka. Konsoldacni banka, owned by the state, will own 100
per cent of Ekoagrobanka. That should take place this week, and forced
administration should end in about four weeks.
Zbynek Vicar/Katerina Rus
Vladimir Stehlik Still Has Not Paid His Debts
According to National Property Fund (FNM) Chairman Roman Ceska,
Bohemia Art President Vladimir Stehlik still has not paid up 746.5
million crowns due January 19 for increasing his share in Kladno's Poldi
Ocel steel company to 66 per cent.
Bohemia Art submitted the payment documents during the January 22
meeting between Ceska and Stehlik, though the documents' validity has
been questioned and Stehlik admitted their questionable character.
Stehlik's office claimed the delay in payment was caused by the transfer
of money from abroad to the Czech affiliate of Deutsche Bank AG.
Talks this week among leading Czech banks should decide on the
consolidation program for Poldi Ocel, owner of massive steel mills west
of Prague.
Arsen Kocarjan/Milan Smid
CORRECTION
In Carolina 186's "Tourist Profits Climb," Carolina incorrectly
stated that the number of Czechs traveling abroad. The article said
44.9 million Czechs went abroad in 1994, where it should have said there
were 44.9 million departures recorded of Czech citizens in 1995.
Carolina regrets the errors. The population of the Czech Republic is
10.5 million.
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from January 25)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 20.084
Belgium 100 BEF 89.444
Great Britain 1 GBP 41.210
Denmark 1 DKK 4.754
Finland 1 FIM 6.001
France 1 FRF 5.375
Ireland 1 IEP 42.719
Italy 1000 ITL 17.131
Japan 100 JPY 25.589
Canada 1 CAD 19.944
Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.444
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.416
Norway 1 NOK 4.200
New Zealand 1 NZD 18.135
Portugal 100 PTE 17.746
Austria 1 ATS 2.615
Greece 100 GRD 11.153
Slovakia 100 SKK 90.308
Germany 1 DEM 18.388
Spain 100 ESP 21.838
Sweden 1 SEK 3.980
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.886
USA 1 USD 27.291
ECU 1 XEU 33.846
SDR 1 XDR 39.915
CULTURE
Gerd Albrecht Asks Vaclav Havel to Retract Opinion on Orchestra
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra General Conductor Gerd Albrecht
cancelled the recording of Smetana's My Homeland and instead will meet
the press in Prague's Rudolfinum January 30. It is expected Albrecht
will make a statement regarding his position in the Orchestra after
being partially deprived of his authorities by the new statute approved
by Minister of Culture Pavel Tigrid (See Carolina 186).
Albrecht's letter to President Vaclav Havel, published in January
24's Czech daily Lidove noviny, reacted to Havel's interview in Berliner
daily Der Tagespiegel January 15, where Havel expressed his view that
the Orchestra has fallen into a state of disrepair and crisis during
Albrecht's era. Albrecht considers Havel's evaluation of the
orchestra's artistic qualities insulting, and asked for an apology.
Among others, Albrecht reproached Havel for not attending the gala
concert for 100th anniversary of the Czech Philharmonic on January 4.
(Also Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus was not present.)
The presidential office announced Havel did not received the letter
yet, and that "the uncommon way of correspondence with the president, as
well as the tone of the letter, rule out the possibility of Havel
reacting to it." The Czech press first reported on Albrecht's letter
January 23, quoting the German wire agency DPA.
Lida Truneckova/Milan Smid
Film Festival Febiofest in Prague and Bratislava
The non-commercial film festival Febiofest ended January 17 in
Prague. The weeklong festival was marked by an unexpected interest in
the works of the students of Czech Academy of Film Arts (FAMU) and for
older domestic films. The biggest surprise was the interest in Slovak
Juraj Jakubisko's 1967 television feature Deserters and Pilgrims
(Zbehovia a Putnici).
After showings in Prague, Zlin and Brno, Bratislava filmgoers will
have the chance to see the festival's offerings from January 24. The
director and heart of the festival is Slovak director Fero Fenic,
a longtime Prague resident. From his Febio studio have sprung the Gen,
Eye (Oko) and Czech Soda television projects, which are also on the
festival's program.
Marketa Hudkova/Katerina Rus
SPORT
Sparta Strengthens Lead in Hockey Extraleague
Results of the 35th round, January 18-19: Trinec - Jihlava 3-3,
Slavia - Brno 7-2, Pardubice - Vitkovice 2-2, Zlin - Sparta 2-2, Plzen
- Olomouc 6-6, Kladno - Vsetin 6-3, Budejovice - Litvinov 2-0.
Results of the 36th round, January 23: Sparta - Zlin 3-1, Vitkovice
- Pardubice 0-2, Litvinov - Budejovice 1-3, Olomouc - Plzen 3-3, Brno
- Slavia 4-6, Vsetin - Kladno 3-0, Jihlava - Trinec 3-3.
Extraleague standings after 36 rounds: (Zlin and Vsetin finished
only 35 rounds):
1. Sparta 51, 2. Vsetin 47, 3. Litvinov 46, Budejovice 42, 5. Zlin
41, 6. Slavia 39, 7. Olomouc 34, 8. Vitkovice 33, 9. Kladno 33, 10.
Jihlava 1, 11. Plzen 29, 12. Trinec 27, 13. Pardubice 26, 14. Brno 23.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Daniela Bartova set a new indoor world record of 420 cm (13-plus
feet) in the pole vault January 24 in Prague.
* The winners of the Czech Cross Country Skiing Championship are:
Katerina Neumannova (5 km, 10 km) and Lubomir Buchta (10 km and 15 km).
* The first Czech hockey extraleague all-star game in Frydek-Mistek
January 21 ended with the East team beating the West team 10-9.
WEATHER
Even the hardiest are putting on their hats and turning up their
collars after this week's deep freeze. The morning's minus 10 degrees
Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) isn't even that extraordinary, but
considering the 20 Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) recorded under the
sun about two weeks ago in Bozi Dar (God's Gift), the worst part of this
winter has to be the frequent and freak weather changes.
Editor of the English version: Michael Bluhm
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